What Makes a Successful Leader?

Great leadership is something that is highly sought after but also often misunderstood. Leadership isn’t simply sitting behind a desk, telling other people what to do. Sure, that might be a small part of it, but good leadership involves much more.

Successful business leaders have to know when they are working too hard. That may sound counterintuitive, but there are often times when the “traditional way” can be improved. A successful leader also has to be a good communicator and know that listening to their team members is just as important as what they say to them.

Know When to Work “Smarter” Not Harder

Bill Gates has been quoted saying, “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” This doesn’t mean that you should go searching for the laziest people, but it does mean that there is often an easier way to do things. Successful leaders know when and where to look for these improvements.

A leader is willing to think outside the box for solutions, such as when to turn to technology to facilitate productivity. Indeed, a good leader knows how to identify talent and assign tasks to the right people. But they should also know when tasks don’t need to be assigned to anyone, and can instead be completed by autonomous technologies like robotic process automation. Removing mundane tasks from highly-competent employees’ workloads can cut time, save money, and free up creative abilities that were being suppressed.

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate Work

A successful leader also knows when they should be doing less work. Delegating tasks is often looked down upon as avoiding work or being lazy, but in reality, it shows strong leadership qualities.

Delegating work has more benefits than just removing work from your plate, it shows that you have trust in your workers. Empowering others by showing them they have value is crucial as a leader, and by allowing you to share the work, it emphasizes collaboration, another important value. 

Once you delegate the work, leave it be. One of the last things you want is to micromanage those you’re attempting to empower. Micromanaging your team can hurt morale by reducing self-esteem and discouraging innovation, among other side effects. 

Communication is Crucial

Communication is a two-way street. Listening is an important quality of a successful leader, as it strengthens relationships, builds trust, and shows employees that you care and value their ideas and input. When having a conversation, always make sure that before you finish, you have both spoken but also listened to what the other had to say.

Listening is a good start, but part of being a good communicator is putting the feedback and ideas you get into action. Not all of the best ideas come directly from leaders, and if you are too stubborn to change, you will encounter many problems. Accept the fact that you are not always right. Learning to adapt and grow is a crucial problem-solving skill that all successful leaders should possess.

It’s hard to exactly describe what makes a good leader, as there are so many variables that exist. Regardless of your specific leadership style, there are many constant characteristics that embody good leadership. Knowing when something can be done with less work, and knowing how to empower your team, are great qualities. 

Communication is important for everyone, but even more so for people in leadership positions, as it’s the building block for everything that you will accomplish. Stay flexible and trust in your team, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful leader.